MANILA (UPDATE) — The Philippines insisted on Monday that it had not given up a disputed West Philippine Sea reef two days after it pulled out a ship stationed there following a months-long standoff with rival claimant China.

READ: PCG not surrendering post despite Teresa Magbanua pulling out from Escoda, says Tarriela

"We have not lost anything," Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela told a news conference, vowing that "there will be a coast guard presence at Escoda Shoal" after the withdrawal of its flagship BRP Teresa Magbanua from the reef, known internationally as Sabina Shoal.

Tarriela earlier said the deployment had already accomplished a 3-pronged mission to stop the reclamation in Escoda Shoal, to protect the marine environment and to support Filipino fishermen. 

READ: PCG: Escoda Shoal in sorry state after coral dumping for reclamation attempt

He told TeleRadyo Serbisyo that the Teresa Magbanua needed to pull out of the shoal due to inclement weather and to fix damage sustained during a collision with a Chinese vessel last August 31.

"Meron tayong 4 na tao na ngangailangan ng medical care. Tatlo dito completely dehydrated. The other one is experiencing gout attack. They already have depleted their supplies, ng pagkain nila," he said.

Efforts to resupply the vessel have been thwarted by Chinese vessels patrolling the area, he said.

The last successful resupply by the Philippine government was via airdrop last Aug 20.

"BRP Magbanua is equipped with desalination that converts saltwater to fresh water but because it has been used 4 or 5 months already, kailangan na niya ng mga bagong filters. Yan ang dahilan kung bakit ang mga tropa have to drink water from rainwater," he said.

Tarriela said the pullout of BRP Magbanua  does not mean that PCG and the national government is going to stop sending  vessels in Escoda Shoal and the West Philippine Sea.

He noted the total area of Escoda Shoal is more than 137 square kilometers.

"We're going to sustain our presence there and we're not going to allow the Chinese government to do reclamation activities in Escoda Shoal," he said.

"If Escoda Shoal will be completely overtaken by the Chinese, mapapagitnaan nila ang Ayungin Shoal and it will be difficult for the Philippine government to do the resupply. That's how vital it is," he added. 

'NOT WITHDRAWAL'

Meanwhile, the National Maritime Council also denied that the exit of BRP Teresa Magbanua from the Escoda Shoal was a withdrawal, as they assured that the country will maintain its presence in the shoal amid China's increasing aggression and harassment of Philippine ships.

"No, it is not a withdrawal, to make it clear we did not withdraw, and hindi rin ito yung nakasunduan noong the last BCM (Bilateral Consultative Mechanism)," National Maritime Council spokesperson Alexander Lopez said in a media interview in Malacañang.  

"Akala kasi ng ating mga kababayan, ay bumigay tayo, in fact hindi. Nagmatigas tayo during the meeting sa Beijing, the DFA stated that our presence wil be maintained in the shoal."

The official said that despite the departure of one of the PCG's biggest ships, the Philippine government will continue to maintain its presence in the shoal. 

"We will have our presence still in Escoda, not necessarily Magbanua kasi magrerepair pa sya eh. So we will let the Philippine Coast Guard  address that operational issue," Lopez said. 

"As we speak actually meron nang directive ang ating Commandant si Admiral Gavan na magpadala na ng barko doon sa vicinity ng Escoda."

Lopez explained that aside from the presence of Philippine ships, the government employs various modalities to monitor the Escoda Shoal.

Lopez said the Philippine government will also asking the assistance of allied countries such as the United States and Japan on the "technical coverage" of the shoal and the rest of the West Philippine Sea. — With reports from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News

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